Healers

We receive many requests to visit a Balinese healer, (often prompted by the Eat Pray Love book/movie). Our first question is always: Why? Then, What is your sickness or problem? Bali’s famed healers – called balians – undertake time-consuming and energy-draining service, and are obliged to accept everyone who seeks their help. So those driven largely by curiosity may inadvertently deprive someone needing urgent help.

So we advise our guests to see a balian only when there’s a specific problem requiring healing – and then to find the right healer according to the issue, as each has a speciality e.g. broken bones, mental disorders, blocked energies or problems associated with black magic. Once you’ve found the appropriate balian, it usually takes also more than one visit, depending on the issue.

A true balian will not ask for money, but you would be expected to bring an offering with a donation of appreciation inside. They will dedicate the offering to their family temple and spirits, and will use the donation for their family.
Balians have a high status and are sometimes also priests, so please show them respect by dressing in a sarong and scarf and greeting appropriate when you visit.

We are happy to help guests arrange a visit, explain the protocol, help with the etiquette, and also translate into English. Please remember that this takes time to organise, so do give us a few days’ notice. And do allow lots of time on the agreed day as there’s no such thing as an appointment time; you have to wait your turn, often in a crowd, which can take several hours.